The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations. All 192 member states are represented within it, each exercising one vote. Panama has had an active role since 1945, when the United Nations Charter was signed.

Panama held the General Assembly presidency during 1983 during its 38th period of sessions, under the lead of Ambassador Jorge Illueca.

Ricardo J. Alfaro, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, presided over the Drafting Committee for the Spanish version of the United Nations Charter, and was also a member of the subcommittee that drafted Chapter I of the Charter “Purposes and Principles,” in San Francisco, 1945.

Panama, under Ricardo J. Alfaro’s lead, also held the presidency of the International Law Commission of the United Nations in 1952-1953, and was a member until 1959. The International Law Commission was established by the General Assembly in 1947 to promote the progressive development of international law and its codification.